See below for I&R/A news and updates.
Training Course Available on the Needs of People Living with Alzheimer's
ADvancing States’ I&R Support Center is pleased to announce the release of a new training course on ADvancing States IQ, our online learning center. This course, Identifying and Understanding the Needs of People Living with Dementia and Their Caregivers, was developed in partnership with the Alzheimer's Association.
This course will further participants’ understanding of Alzheimer’s and other dementias and what differentiates these conditions from typical aging. Participants will learn communication strategies to provide phone support to someone living with early-stage dementia. The course describes the impact that dementia can have on caregivers in order to prepare community resource professionals for empathetic phone interactions. Participants will strengthen their knowledge of resources to assist individuals and caregivers through learning about the role of the Alzheimer’s Association® and the support that it offers to those affected by Alzheimer's and other dementia.
To access the training course at no cost, see the Consumer Access to Services course category on ADvancing States IQ. If you are new to IQ, you simply need to create an account for yourself.
The Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) is now Inform USA
On July 31, at the AIRS Discovery Conference and 50th Anniversary Celebration, the organization announced a new name and brand that will carry the association into the next fifty years. The Alliance of Information & Referral Systems (AIRS) is now Inform USA. Inform USA is the professional membership association for Information and Referral services, providing standards, program accreditation, and practitioner certification for the field. To view the new brand and learn more, visit Inform USA. Certification holders can visit the site to view the new look for certification badges.
ADvancing States’ National I&R Support Center Releases Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response Profiles
The National I&R Support Center held a contest in the spring of 2022 to identify and disseminate promising practices that can help strengthen current and future disaster readiness and response within the Information & Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) field. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and a wide range of disaster and emergency situations, I&R/A programs have played a vital role in connecting individuals, caregivers, and families to needed services and resources. The Support Center is pleased to release promising practice profiles of Atlantis Community, Inc. and the Aging and Disability Resource Center – Hawai’i Island, the first and second place contest awardees. Atlantis’ I&R/A program has been an anchor point for responding to the needs of community members during the pandemic, engaging with new and existing community partners, and fostering development of new programs in areas such as technology access, vaccine information, and emergency transition services. The ADRC – Hawai’i Island, in responding to the pandemic, developed and implemented a Person-Centered Emergency Planning Program that includes training, an individualized Emergency Planning Workbook and support in completing this workbook, and items to start personalized emergency kits. See the promising practice profiles to learn more about these innovative approaches to disaster preparedness and response.
Click here for the profile Atlantis Community Inc. Strengthens Disaster Response through Intentional Partnerships
Click here for the profile Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) – Hawai’i Island Fosters Disaster Preparedness through Person-Centered Emergency Planning
Issue Brief Examines Key I&R/A Technology Developments
The National Information & Referral Support Center is pleased to share the release of the issue brief A New Standard of Innovation: Findings from the I&R/A Technology Survey. This issue brief summarizes and shares quantitative and qualitative findings from the Aging and Disability Information and Referral/Assistance Technology Short Survey to inform understanding of key technology developments and highlight approaches that may be useful in the current situation or in future disaster situations. This survey, administered by ADvancing States’ I&R Support Center in 2021, gathered data in several key areas including service modality and call volume; social media; the resource database; Information Technology systems; remote work; and new technologies for staff and client engagement.
Information on National Vaccine Initiatives and Resources
ADvancing States’ website features information on the National Vaccine Initiatives --USAging and NCOA funding opportunities to increase the number of older adults and people with disabilities who received the updated COVID-19 vaccine or annual flu vaccine. Grantees include State Agencies on Aging and Disabilities, Area Agencies on Aging, No Wrong Door Systems/Aging and Disability Resource Centers, Centers for Independent Living, community organizations, and others. Information and resources featured on the website include outreach and community engagement strategies for vaccination programs, planning vaccination clinics, potential partners, and ADvancing States’ recent resource, “State COVID-19 & Influenza Vaccination Initiatives—Promising Practices”, are featured. ADvancing States also has a COVID-19 section on our website with federal guidance and state information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Monthly Technical Assistance Webinars
Click here to view recent I&R technical assistance webinars coordinated by the National I&R Support Center.